View report page

38
MISCELLANEOUS
Canal Boats Act
The section of the Grand Surrey Canal passing through the Borough
was kept under observation by the District Inspector but no canal boats
were found of a type requiring inspection.
Common Lodging Houses
There is only one Common Lodging House in the Borough. This is
Carrington House which is maintained by the London County Council.
This building was erected in 1903 and it contains 814 separate cubicles,
for use by men only. In addition to the usual facilities for washing and
bathing, there is a reading room and a smoking room. The dining room is
provided with a large stove on which the men can cook their own meals,
and in addition, there is a canteen which provides excellent meals at a low
price.
A sick bay is provided on the ground floor for cases awaiting admission
to hospital. No nursing of any sort is provided but sick persons are not so
isolated as they would be in cubicles on an upper floor, and serious or
dangerous illness is less likely to be overlooked.
In addition to the casual users a large number of men live there either
permanently or for long periods. Several men have lived there for nearly
30 years, and a number who have married children residing in the Borough,
merely sleep at the lodging house and have their meals and spend the day
at the houses of their children.
The standard of accommodation is high and it compares favourably
with many of the rooms occupied by singly elderly men throughout the
district.
Laboratory Service
The bacteriological laboratory at the Park Hospital is run in association
with the Public Health Laboratory Service. It provides a full bacteriological
service for all public health requirements and the examinations are
carried out without charge to the local authority. It has the additional
advantages that the laboratory can carry out the very large number of
bacteriological examinations which might be required during an epidemic,
and that help can be provided to assist in the field work necessary in
tracing the source of infection.
The laboratory facilities at the Devonport Laboratory, Seamen's
Hospital, continue to be available for the examination of swabs and other
specimens sent by general practitioners. A week-end service is provided
here and it is rather more convenient for the general practitioner to call
for a consultation with the pathologist—a matter of some importance
with the increasing complexity of bacteriological examinations.